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Spring Chopped Vegetable Salad Recipe

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4.3 from 7 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Spring Chopped Salad featuring a colorful mix of fresh vegetables blanched to perfection and tossed with a light olive oil and rice wine vinegar dressing. Ideal for spring and summer gatherings, this salad combines crisp corn, tender green and wax beans, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers, and cooling cucumber with fresh cilantro for a bright, wholesome dish.

Ingredients

Vegetables

  • 2 ears of corn
  • 1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 pound wax beans, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 small red pepper, seeded, deveined, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 small yellow pepper, seeded, deveined, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup cilantro leaves

Other Ingredients

  • Coarse salt (for water and seasoning, about 2 teaspoons plus more as needed)
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Chop Ingredients: Chop all vegetables into 1/4-inch pieces, including green and wax beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion, cucumber, and cilantro leaves. Set aside for assembly.
  2. Prepare Ice Water Bath: Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. This will be used to cool the vegetables rapidly after blanching to stop cooking.
  3. Blanch Corn: Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add a pinch of sugar and the ears of corn. Blanch the corn for about 6 minutes until tender. Remove the corn and immediately plunge it into the prepared ice water bath to cool completely.
  4. Cut Corn Kernels: Once cooled, remove corn from the ice water, then use a large knife to carefully slice the kernels off the cob. Transfer the kernels to a large mixing bowl.
  5. Blanch Beans: Add the green and wax beans to the same boiling salted water. Blanch for about 1 minute until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge the beans in the ice water bath to chill. Drain well in a colander once cooled.
  6. Combine Vegetables: Add the blanched green and wax beans, chopped tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, red onion, cucumber, and cilantro to the bowl with corn kernels. Stir gently to combine all the vegetables.
  7. Dress Salad: Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and rice wine vinegar over the vegetable mixture. Add about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything thoroughly to combine and season to taste.
  8. Serve: Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste and crunch.

Notes

  • Blanching the vegetables quickly in boiling water then shocking them in ice water helps retain their vibrant color and crisp texture.
  • You can adjust the amount of olive oil and vinegar to your preference for a lighter or tangier dressing.
  • This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to a day; however, the vegetables may soften over time.
  • For added protein, consider topping with feta cheese or grilled chicken.
  • If unavailable, white wine vinegar can be substituted for rice wine vinegar.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/spring-chopped-vegetable-salad-recipe/